How To: Work an Afterthought Pocket - Every Step from Waste Yarn to Seaming!

[@celiajean7093]

Fantastic video! Thank you so much for the clarity of your instructions and all the helpful finishing tips. Definitely a keeper. ❤

[@denisekeating7867]

Love this! So so clear and helpful. Thank you for taking the time to do this so well

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

You're welcome!

[@tiateri541]

Thanks. This was very informative! I’m sure I’ll come back to this video every time I want to add a pocket.

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

You're welcome!

[@Javainthebox]

Excellent video! Thanks so much!

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

You're welcome! I' so glad it was helpful.

[@nancyhughes386]

Great video! Thank you!

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

You're so welcome!

[@robfeldmann355]

Wow, this was very detailed and clear! Also very timely for me as I'm researching and planning to see if I can add my first pocket to a Cardigan I'm going to knit. I want to do a sort of diagonal pocket near the bottom corners of the Cardigan, like you might see in a jacket or something. Its hard to find any examples of this style of pocket. Anyway, great job and thanks so much!

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

Thanks so much for watching, Rob! The angle pocket would be worked a little differently but I love the idea! You'd probably want to set stitches aside at the bottom of the pocket and work the face of the pocket on the outside of the sweater instead of the inside. You can work from that bottom of the pocket upwards and then seam to the face of the sweater. I have another pocket tutorial that has you start at the bottom of a pocket. It's specific to a pattern but you might be able to apply the theory to your angled pocket. Let me know if you have any questions! Here's the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpjTnnqGjc6iipo

[@sandycross3343]

Excellent. Thank you.

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

You're welcome, Sandy!

[@deniseengel1451]

Thanks for the tutorial. Would this technique of setting up the waste yarns work for a thumb knit after the body of a mitten is done?

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

You're welcome. And yes, absolutely! That's a great way to use it. In that case you may want to pick up some extra stitches at the edges to avoid gaps but the setup would be exactly the same.

[@deniseengel1451]

@@TheUnapologeticKnitter Thanks

[@saskialee]

Isn’t this a forethought pocket because you have to plan ahead and place your pocket as you’re knitting, instead of after?

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

I think it's a bit of a to-may-to / to-mah-to situation. When I learned about this technique, it was presented as an "afterthought pocket" and I assumed that was correct and have continued to call it as such. Interestingly enough, over the years I have learned of a "forethought" and "afterthought" heel for socks, which have seemingly opposite names, but are constructed in exactly the same manner. So I agree with your logic - it does take forethought to place the lifeline for the pocket placement - but the name is what I learned it as so I'll continue to use it. :)

[@jennessweldon9840]

Great video. I am knitting top down so will have to reverse the pocket edging and inside flap but this is sooo helpful. Do you think it is best to knit the inside of the pocket independently or can I knit the bottom of the pocket lining with the sweater to seal the bottom of the pocket?

[@TheUnapologeticKnitter]

Hey Jenness! Thanks so much for watching the tutorial! Tegardless of whether you're knitting top-down, or bottom-up, you will still be working the pocket in the same direction. While your lifeline placement will be reversed (i.e.: you'll have worked the yoke and some of the body, and are heading towards the hem), you'll still want to work the pocket edging using the lower set of stitches (the ones closer to the hem) and the pocket lining using the upper set of stitches (closer to your underarms). Does that make sense? Or perhaps that's what you meant by reverse - just the ORDER in which you're working it? Not necessarily the stitches you use to work each? You could certainly secure the bottom of the pocket by knitting the live stitches together with the stitches at the hem but that would have you working the inside of the pocket before you finish the sweater. That's actually a really clever idea. It'll just take some planning on your end to make sure you stop before you start the hem! I love it!

[@jennessweldon9840]

Thank you for taking the time to help me with this. I am confident I can do this pocket now. Your answers make perfect sense.